Improvement in gun harpoons and lances



R. B RO W N.

Bomb Lance. l

` Patented Aug. 20,1850.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEO EOBEET BROWN, OE NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUN HARPOONS AND LANCES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 7,572, dated August x0,1550.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ROBERT BROWN, of the city and county ot' New London,in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gun Lances and Harpoons forthe Capture of Whales andOtherAnimals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings ofthesame, which make part ot' this speeiii cation, an d in which- Figure lis a side elevation of one of my lances loaded into a gun-barrel, aportion of the latter bein g removed to exhibit lnore clearly thearrangement of the parts within it. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthelance during its iight after being discharged from the barrel. Fig. 3is an elevation of one ot' the sides of the lance at right angles to theside seen iu Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view, in perspective, ot the buttend ofthe shank with its shoe or button in place. Fig. 5 is a similar view oi'the end of the shank with the shoe or button removed, and FIO'. 6 is alike view ot' the shoe.

My invention and improvement consist, irst, in attaching a tail of shortcords (or their equivalent) to the butts of guirlances in such mannerthat the cords can be laid by the side ofthe shank, loaded with it intothe gun, and fired therefrom. The tail thus arranged will, during theilight of the lance, be extended behind it, and operate as a drag on itsbutt-end, keepin g the latter back andthe point forward, therebyrendering its flight in the direction in which it is aimed more certain.

Experiments have shown that the shoe or button at the butt-end ofharpoonsand lances prevents the lines attached thereto from trailingduring their fiightas nearly in a line with the shank as they would it'left free to assume their position without obstruction from the button,and likewise thatthese buttons greatly retard the ilight ot' the harpoonor lance by the great arca which they oppose to the action of the air.

The object Ot' the second part of my invention is to remedy thesedefects, audit consists in Inakin g the button separatelrom the shankand so attaching it thereto that it shall fall therefrom very soon afterthe lance leaves thc muzzle Oli' the gun.

My lance is composed of a Iluted shank, I3,

havinga button or boss, 0,011 its butt-end, th lits the bore of thebarrel ot' the gun when it is to be tired, anda double spear head bladeat its front extremity. This doul blade is composed of a blade, C, ofthe or nary construction, with a second blade, l), i cured at rightangles thereto, the second bla projecting in advance of the first.

To the butt ot' the shank a series of cor( c c c e, are tied. Thesecords form a tail, ai drag behind the lance during its iiight, as se inFi-g. 2. The friction between the tail ai the air operates as a drag onthe butt of t lance and keeps it back. rlhe cords should of uniform sizeand arranged symmetrical round the axis of the shank, so that they mdrag behind it with equal force, and thus te to keep the lance duringitsiiight in the dire line in which it was projected from the gr -lf thetail should not be symmetrical in i construction, or its axis should notbe coin dent with that of the shank of the lance, would operate as arudder to detlect the lan from the course in which it was aimed aifired. The section of the shank may b e th ot' a cross, as representedin Fig. 5, or ot at bar with concave sides, or of any oth form theconstructor may deem suitable.

The button b is shown in Fig. l alixed the end of the shank and restingon the w: which keeps the charge of powder in place the barrel of thegun. In Fig. (i it is shoi detached from the end of the shank. Tl buttonb consist-s ot' a disk of metal perforat in the center with a hole largeenough to loosely upon the stem or pivote, on the hind extremity of theshank.

During the act of firing the explosive foi of the powder acts upon thebutton, which driven out ofthe barrel, pushing bet'oreit t lance orharpoon. As soon as it leaves t muzzle the lilies or cords attached tothe sha press back againstit and force itoii" the stel but if the lineswere not there to push it the resistance ol the air would be su'licientithat purpose.

As the button is, in general, lost, it is best make it OI.- some cheapmaterial, and I prei to nlakc it of' cast-iron; but it may be ma of anyother materia-l the consti-neun' choo.` to employ. II'sueh ammlilication should preferred, a stem might project from the center ofthe button and enter a corresponding' hole in the end of the shank.

Harpoons and lances thus constructed may be made of any suitablematerial. It is, however, ot' some importance to employ cheap materials,because ot' the frequency with which these instruments are lost, butespecially the lances. For these, therefore, I would recommend cast-ironfor the head and shank and spun yarn for the tail.

These lances and harpoons are loaded into and fired out of the gun inthe usual manner, and therefore a particular description of theseoperations is deemed unnecessary.

XVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. Attaching,` a tail of cords, or their equi alent, to giur-lances,substantially in the ma ner and for the purpose herein sct forth.

2. Attaching the button to the shank of gu harpoons or lances in suchmanner that Whe the lance or harpoon is discharged from tl gun thebutton will drop oii", being,` theret prevented from retarding the Hightand fro deiiecting the lance o'r harpoon from the lil in which it isprojected from the gun, substai tially as described.

'In testimony whereof I have hereunto su scribed my name.

. ROBERT BROWN. Witnesses P. H. WATSON, T. C. DoNN.

